I plan to build a handcar shed(s) and was wondering what would be prototypical locations for these structures? I would appreciate any information.
Thanks
wdcrvr
Handcar - or motorcar?
Handcar sheds might have been around, but often they were just chained up off the track. Nothing much to shelter or keep from theft on a handcar. A motorcar needed more protection for those reasons.
Generally, either could be about anywhere a crew was based or where there was a need for a car. But keep in mind they replaced the old-fashioned way of walking track -- walking track. So you would not see motorcar sheds in every original section, as they alowed section to get longer through consolidation. Typically, they would also be associated with a station, which provided a ready means of communication with the dispatcher via the telegraph and a way to ship in parts, etc. Plus a place for the crew to gather at it's base for other reasons, like the stock of supplies, etc.
Very general ideas, but they help illustrate the place these facilities had in the larger RR scene.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Back in the day some section gangs covered 30-40 miles of track so,these sheds would be located in small cities or towns or lacking those at junctions about midway in their assigned area.
These crews was also assigned company trucks which would be used for long distance travel or for areas that lacked set off points for speeders.
Recall traffic was maintained during light MOW work by time table and train sheet..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Adding to Mike and Larry's replies—and recalling some of my railroad explorations, I'll throw in a few suggestions.
As mentioned above, track gangs worked a "section" which could vary in length due to terrain or complexity of the track structure itself, IE single track or multiple tracks, bridges, cuts and fills, etc. Keeping in mind that there were SO many more branch lines and secondary routes, every one of these having a junction with the main line.
Generally, the section house would be located where track crews could set their equipment, one or more motor-cars with trailers or hand cars for inspection trips or transporting a few of the gang, on to a track that would have quick and ready access to the main line or the particular branch line the gang was in charge of maintaining.
This one was at West Boylston, Mass.
A common location was on one leg of a wye. If there were multiple tracks, planking would be arranged so the cars could be rolled out of the section house to which ever track they had clearance to use and set their cars on, like the photo above shows.
Some of the section houses I remember seeing along the New York Central in my area had several bays, up to six or eight as I recall, along with tool sheds and track material buildings, too.
Signal towers were also pretty plentiful back in the "pre-consolidated" era and it seems to me that along with the tower there were other structures, usually including a section house.
As passenger service declined sometimes the track gang would "assume" the former passenger depot. Sometimes just the baggage area but in some cases the whole station.
Hope that helps, Ed
I put handcar sheds in pretty-well every town on the layout, with the thought that crews would cover roughly half the distance to the next towns in either direction. Since the towns are so close together on most layouts, this shouldn't be too taxing on the section crews.
This one's in Lowbanks, headquarters of the Erie Northshore...
...and this one in Elfrida, the next town east...
...this one's at Cayuga Junction, the west end of South Cayuga, and the end of the Northshore's track...
At the east end of the same town, is the Grand Valley's handcar shed. It has the same "paint scheme" (both roads are controlled by the same owner-road) but is of a different style...
The upper level, all Grand Valley line, will have more sheds similar to the one above.
I have a couple of motorised speeders, too, but they're kept at the engine terminals...
...along with this one, for use when the division's superintendent wants to see how things are out on the line...
Wayne
At my old home town the handcar/motor car shed was several hundred feet away from the depot. Another shed, perhaps a tool and supply shed, was next to it. There was a well worn pathway from depot to sheds parallel to the main (over a bridge that had a safe walkway over it). Near the sheds was a pile of discarded stuff -- busted crossing gates, bent up signs, damaged kerosene lanterns no longer used on switch stands, replaced and discarded old spikes and tie plates, and oddly enough, enameled "Railway Express" signs that had been taken down from the depot when it stopped being an Agency. Now and then they'd burn up trash and garbage. It was a different era.
Eventually the sheds were removed or torn down because the depot was no longer used by operators and became the locker room and storage for the track gang. They took L shaped steel shapes and embedded them at track gauge width in the platform leading into what had been the baggage express room with a large door facing the track. So in a sense they created a special little track for the speeder. That became the motor car housing. The also put timbers between the rails and between the tracks of both mains so the motor car could be dragged to either track, turned sideways, and placed on the rails.
When I was a youngster my friend and I would peer into the window of that baggage room/speeder car shed to look at all the supplies and tools that were stored there. I swear, the many centerfolds and pin-ups that had been taped to the wall had nothing to do with our interest in that room ......
Dave Nelson
dknelson At my old home town the handcar/motor car shed was several hundred feet away from the depot. Another shed, perhaps a tool and supply shed, was next to it. There was a well worn pathway from depot to sheds parallel to the main (over a bridge that had a safe walkway over it). Near the sheds was a pile of discarded stuff -- busted crossing gates, bent up signs, damaged kerosene lanterns no longer used on switch stands, replaced and discarded old spikes and tie plates, and oddly enough, enameled "Railway Express" signs that had been taken down from the depot when it stopped being an Agency. Now and then they'd burn up trash and garbage. It was a different era. Eventually the sheds were removed or torn down because the depot was no longer used by operators and became the locker room and storage for the track gang. They took L shaped steel shapes and embedded them at track gauge width in the platform leading into what had been the baggage express room with a large door facing the track. So in a sense they created a special little track for the speeder. That became the motor car housing. The also put timbers between the rails and between the tracks of both mains so the motor car could be dragged to either track, turned sideways, and placed on the rails. When I was a youngster my friend and I would peer into the window of that baggage room/speeder car shed to look at all the supplies and tools that were stored there. I swear, the many centerfolds and pin-ups that had been taped to the wall had nothing to do with our interest in that room ...... Dave Nelson
About the only time I see motor cars today (besides those belonging to hobbyists) are on system production gangs. Regular MOW and signal maintainers now use hi-rail trucks. The last time I remember seeing a motor car used by a local MOW/signal dept. was by a MILW Rd track inspector in the early 1980s.
Jeff
We have two speeder sheds on the club's Route 66 corner module.
A Fairmont speeder and shed. Located in the yard on my layout. Note the fuel storage tank next to the speeder.
The speeder and shed are Walthers. The fuel tank is Woodland Scenics.
Another example...
Feel the ground shaking!
Cheers! Ed